


Moon River

by I_geek_therefore_I_live



Series: I can't get this damn songfic out of my head [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Choking, Emotional Hurt, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Kidnapping, Listening to a song one day and thought of this, Minor Violence, Original Character(s), Romance, Slow Burn, Songfic, Swearing, Torture, more tags to be added later probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2018-11-18 05:09:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11284335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_geek_therefore_I_live/pseuds/I_geek_therefore_I_live
Summary: Partial songfic, When a mission runs longer than anticipated, Jesse realizes just how much of the world he's yet to see





	1. A Festival?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fanfic in 6 years. This idea came to me while after watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and listening to Moon River (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uirBWk-qd9A).

It might have only been 5 in the evening but Jesse McCree would have been lying if he had said it hadn't been quite a day. Fruitful to say the least. Today culminated the end of a month-long recon that quickly turned into an infuriating game of cat and mouse. Blackwatch had good intel but the Los Muertos gang was a step ahead. Always. Every day. For a month. Once was luck. Twice paranoia. By the third time it was obvious someone was giving them a heads up. It's hard to watch someone when they aren't where you're expecting them to be. Luckily some local friends in highly low places gave his team a much-needed advantage. As Jesse laid back on the foot of his bed he could picture ‘Los Federales’ bringing the gang to justice in the standard black vans. 

A knock at the hotel door stirred Jesse from these thoughts. Moving to get up from the edge of the bed, he eyed Peacemaker sitting on the desk. The mission was over he assured himself but watching the gun move towards arms reach did give him some peace of mind. 

"McCree? What are you doing in there? Polishing your hat?" Genji quipped before Jesse could even look out of the peep hole. Jesse let out an exasperated sigh and opened the door. 

"Hat polishin' was on Tuesday" Jesse said with a humorless tone. "What do you want and what in tarnation is all of that?" He sized up the cyborg, now wearing a red and yellow poncho over his black hoodie. Jesse could not judge him on his poncho choice as he was often known to wear colorful serapes on his days off. But as the clandestine hat expert on base, the festive sombrero that adorned his partner’s head was very far afield. 

"There's a festival just a few blocks down the street. This Inn must be on the way, everyone is coming through. Families, merchants, performers." Genji's red eyes slightly lit up as he described it. Jesse briefly remembered a festival being described in the mission brief but before the nature of the situation became clear, he was sure they would have missed it. 

"Festival de la Luz?" Jesse drawled out 

"Yeah. That sounds right. We should go check it out!" Jesse however was not in the mood

"Ah come on. It's been a long day. Hell, a long month. Don't get me wrong Genji, I am always first in line for a little drinkin’ and a little partyin’ but I ain't really in a festival kinda mood." Jesse could already picture the large crowds and loud music. Intoxicating and not in the good way. 

"Think of this as a reward for a job well done. We don’t have to stay long and I'll buy you a churro and a new hat"

" I don't know-"

"Come on, Jesse" the cyborg pleaded, cutting off Jesse's apprehension, “Think about it. This will be our only break for who knows how long. You’re right, we could stay here, go to sleep and head back to base in the morning. But you know as much as I do just how much of a hard ass Reyes can be. He'll probably assign us on another month-long mission as soon as we step into his office. And I bet it will in a place far worse and far colder than this. We know what will happen if we stay. Who knows what could happen if we go."

Jesse was a bit taken aback by how adamant Genji was to go to this festival but even more shocked as to how much he wanted Jesse to go with him. He had made good points and if he was being honest the thought of another mission with no break tired him out a lot more than spending a few hours at a local festival. "Alright," Jesse relented, "but I want unlimited churro privileges"

"Deal! Meet me outside in 5!” Genji yelled as he bounded down the hallway. Jesse closed the door and ran his hand down his tired face. Jesse threw on his serape and concealed Peacemaker behind his back. He was quite sure his fellow agent was going to treat him to quite a night. Good or bad would remain to be seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short but I didn't want to overload the first chapter. Comments and critiques are appreciated!


	2. Waitin' Round the Bend

It was a very nice festival. The sunset set the streets ablaze. Lanterns and candles reflected in the fountains and windows like stars. Piñatas hung on every corner and in every alley. Music came from every direction and the smell of food, both savory and sweet wafted into every inch of the plaza. It was a site to behold and for the most part Jesse was happy Genji dragged him out of the Inn. 

But a small part was overwhelmed by the crowds and the music. As nice as it was he still couldn't deny the tiredness that overcame him from a month of sleep deprivation. When Genji went to join a large group dance, Jesse ducked out and headed towards the outskirts of the festival. That was if he could find the outskirts. No matter which alley or street he turned down it seemed the celebration was waiting for him, undiminished in intensity. It was becoming increasingly obvious that damn near the whole of town was out for the festival. 

Almost at wits end, Jesse stumbled on a near abandoned courtyard. It was decorated like every other place he had been that night but few lingered here. A sigh of relief escaped Jesse's lips as he fell back on some crates in a corner. He threw his head back and pulled out a cigarillo. He hadn't realized the sun had completely set until he looked up and saw stars competing with hanging lights for dominance of the sky. 

Some light giggles drew Jesse out of his smoky haze. He sat up slightly to see three children staring at him and smiling. None of them could have been older than 10 but each had the same mischievous look in their eyes and smiles that Jesse had garnered when he was 4. He tipped his hat them, giving a small smirk and they laughed again. It was obvious they didn't see too many cowboys. 

A light sound pulled the children from their reverie and they bounded off to the opposite corner of the courtyard. Jesse smiled after them but was curious as to what would pull their absolute undivided attention. The noise continued and Jesse could make out the tuning of a guitar. Before he even realized it, Jesse was already halfway across the courtyard walking towards the music. He took one last inhale of his cigarillo and threw it to the ground, stamping it out as he continued forward.

A small garden opened before him as he rounded a corner. Beset on all side by archways, several stone benches and a fountain held the majority of the space but the flowers gave it life. Brilliantly colored roses, marigolds, carnations and wisteria touched every conceivable surface. It was like looking at stagnant fireworks when illuminated by the candles. 

Jesse's awe by the scene before him was cut short as a tug to his leg reminded him why he was here in the first place. One of the children from earlier, a little girl beamed up at him. 

"Sientate aqui" Jesse smiled and obliged as he helped the girl into an archway and then sat beside her. He noticed many other children sitting closer to the fountain and in the grass. Those he assumed to be parents congregated around the edges sitting on benches or in archways. All speaking in hushed tones but very attentive. Jesse was unsure what he had gotten himself into until he saw you stand up. 

He wasn't sure if your (E/C) eyes made his heart stop but when you gave small polite smile he definitely stopped breathing. The crowd was silent and Jesse's heart pulsed in his ears. It wasn't until the little girl beside gave light giggle that he realized his mouth was open. 

"Hola niños" you said to the children sitting in front of you. Your smile a little wider as they giggled back

"Hola Avita!" Many shouted back. Jesse was unsure if that was your name but he would remember it nonetheless 

"Hola a todos" You said to the crowd. Your eyes danced on everyone and stopped on a stranger sitting in an archway with Mireya. You were struck by his hat and clothes but you couldn't help but stare at his deep brown eyes. You shook the thought from your head but it nagged on you a little. "Gracias por venir" you said back to the crowd. "Feliz Festival!" You exclaimed receiving a light cheer and several claps. 

You sat down on the fountains edge and pulled the guitar in your lap. You took a deep breath and started plucking out slow melodic notes. 

Moon river, wider than a mile  
I'm crossing you in style someday  
You dream maker  
You heartbreaker  
Where ever you're going I'm going your way

Without pausing you looked up to see the stranger staring right at you. You couldn't tell what you felt exactly but you held his gaze for the duration of the song. 

Two drifters off to see the world  
There's such a lot of world to see  
We're after the same rainbow's end  
Waiting round the bend  
My huckleberry friend  
Moon river and me

You thought you saw his mouth curve upwards slightly towards the end but you became distracted as the garden filled with claps and cheers. You didn't want to admit it but you forgot everyone else was there for a little while. It wasn't a bad feeling. In fact, it left you feeling very good. A good you weren't sure you'd felt in a long time. 

As the night wore down many left the garden. Even Mireya had to be sleepily carted away by her mother. She had garnered the strangers hat halfway through the night during one of your livelier songs. As she returned it she whispered something in his ear that he chuckled at. Something you would no doubt know quite soon. 

As you finished your last song you thanked what remained of the crowd again and started to pack up your guitar. As you turned to leave you noticed the stranger still by the archway. 

Though his hat was pulled down over his eyes you couldn't help but feel his rapt attention followed your movements despite your performance ending a while ago. Your slight hesitation in leaving caused him to push off from the stone wall and towards you. 

"Hola Avita" he drawled out. It was obvious that Spanish wasn't his first language by the heavy accent that permeated through his vowels. Despite this, he seemed determined to carry on a conversation with you, signaling he was fluent if not native. 

"Hola, señor. Or should I say hello" you said quickly switching to English. You could see his features relax a little. He regarded you with a mixture of curiosity and fondness and just as he had relaxed to your English, you relaxed under his gaze. 

"That there was some very lovely singing. Words can't really describe it but it was mighty pretty."

You smiled at his kind words but fought back a light blush. "Thank you very much, uh-" you gestured at him to complete your sentence with a name. 

"Oh, uh, Jesse. Jesse McCree. But Jesse's just fine." Jesse stammered out. 

You shifted your guitar case between your hands and outstretched your right arm. As he took it you realized just how large his hands, and really the rest of him, were compared to you. However, the gentleness with which he grasped your hand had you doubting whether this size was an illusion.  "It's nice to meet you Jesse. I haven't seen you around before, are you in town for the festival?"

"You could say something like that. Just passing through. My friend actually dragged me out tonight. I ain't got the foggiest idea where he could be now. Hell, I ain't even sure where I am myself."

You laughed at his turn of phrase and you could swear his eyes lit up. "Well I'm glad he did." Realizing your response, you quickly deflected "It's not every day Mireya makes a new friend."

"Ah so that was her name. It wouldn't have surprised me if she was called giggles but Mireya fits."

"It is quite lovely" you said smiling to yourself. 

"Not a lovely as Avita, though" Jesse said staring intently at your face. A moment of confusion passed through you before realization came with laughter. As you caught your breath you beamed up at Jesse's hesitant face. 

"That's not my name" you said catching your breath. 

"It ain't?"

"It might as well be seeing as no one in this town calls me by my actual name anymore." You took a centering breath and continued. " It's a nickname. The first time I played in this garden an old woman passing by called me Ava Canora. It means 'song bird'. I don't know how it spread but since that day everyone has called me Ava or Avita"

"As lovely and fitting as Avita might be, I'm mighty sorry for the confusion. What then is your name?"

"(Y/F/N). (Y/F/N) (Y/L/N). But (Y/N)'s just fine." You and Jesse gave out a good laugh and you hoped it might hide the blush that crept back to your face. 

"I definitely ain't sorry anymore because that's at least twice as pretty darlin'." So much for hiding that blush. 

A small silence settled between you as you stared at one another, no longer strangers. 

"Hey, uh -" Jesse started but a distant church bell intoned the hour. It was midnight. Not good. 

"I'm so sorry, I have to go." You turned to leave but Jesse caught your forearm lightly. You froze at his warm touch.

"Woah there, Cinderella. I know it's late and all but, and maybe I'm being too forward, but I thought maybe we were enjoying each other's company." Jesse said hesitantly. 

You frowned a little at his words. Not because he had misread the situation. You probably would have talked all night without realizing it. No not at all. You worried that the small rapport that had come so naturally between you would be unraveled by the lateness of the hour. And more importantly what awaited you accompanying it. 

The tolling of the bells brought you back to the present and you did something very unexpected and very brash. You spun around in Jesse's grip and dropped your guitar. You grabbed the front of his serape and pulled him to you, quickly bringing your lips to his in a small kiss. Your suddenness pushed his hat back to crown of his head, threateningly to fall. 

Jesse stilled his movements at first unsure and shocked by your actions. You don't get to be known as a master gunslinger by doing things second and that included kissing. But while you may have made the first move, Jesse took the lead. Deepening the kiss, his hands slid down your arm and snaked around your waist. He pulled you closer to him and forced you to push onto your toes slightly. You loosened your grip on his shirt and ran your hand across his rough cheek into his soft brown hair. Starting small and chaste, you both started to gain momentum edging closer into passionate and hungry. 

The tolling of bells ended and you pulled away nearly breathless. You could feel him grip tighter on your waist and though your eyes were closed you could feel the wanton hunger radiate off him. You opened your eyes to confirm you suspicions and were meet with the face of a man turned. Longing and desire burned deep behind the brown eyes only inches from you face. 

"If I could stay, I would," you sighed deeply moving your hands from out of his hair down to his hard set shoulders, "and trust me I would. But Cinderella has to get her pumpkin back home." You pulled away with little resistance and grabbed your forlorn guitar case. 

It was Jesse's turn to do something unexpected and brash. "Tomorrow. I want to see you again so let's meet tomorrow" he chuckled lightly, "Or I guess later today." Reyes would probably kill him if he found out he delayed leaving Dorado for a girl but this was more than that and Jesse wanted to see exactly how much. Besides with Genji’s help could probably spin this into staying another week. He already owed Genji the world for dragging him out to this festival. He could always give him the moon as well. 

"Plaza del Rio," you said quickly "Just after sundown."

Jesse smiled brightly and you couldn't help but smile back "Easier than wandering around town with a glass slipper". 

"Good night Jesse"  
"Good night (Y/N)" you turned to go and let you stomach flutter once more before steeling yourself for what awaited your lateness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it so far! I'm not sure what the update schedule will be but it will end before summer does! Comments and critiques are appreciated!


	3. Magic's Run Out Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with the story! I'm going to try and do 2 chapters every week and a half or so

You walked through town as fast as you could, avoiding the last dregs of people leaving the festival and letting out of the bars. The maze of decorations and stalls slowed you down more than you would have liked. These distractions and obstacles only served to remind you of just how late you already were. As each minute passed you could feel yourself sink into a deeper pit of trouble. 

You finally made it to the outskirts of town to the small abandoned house you were holed up in for the time being. The lack of illumination inside left you feeling uneasy. You weren't sure what was going to be waiting on the other side of the door. More importantly who was going to be waiting. You quietly walked up to the porch and took a deep breath. You tried to shake the thoughts from your head. No lights could mean your 'friends' were asleep. Could mean he was asleep. You crept in as quietly as a girl carrying a guitar case could, careful to avoid knocking over discarded beer cans and creaking floorboards. You made it to the center of what was once a cozy living room and placed your guitar case next to a worn-out couch. You silently let out a long exhale, not realizing you had tensed your whole body. You were trying to calm your mind, not wanting to be overly giddy at the thought that for once you had avoided unjustified repercussions. That was quickly put to a stop. 

You could feel something press hard into your side. The coldness piercing through your clothes told you it was metal. As menacing as the thought of whether a knife or gun being dangerously close to your body was, it’s not what made your stomach drop. The way your breath caught in your throat and the way your body started to shake couldn’t be tied to an unidentified weapon. There was a time not too long ago when you feared death above all, but after the 3 months you spent together you knew a fate worse than death existed. Its name was Jackson Hyde, leader of group calling themselves the Scavengers, thriving and thieving on the leftovers of Omnic activity. 

"Where have you been, Avita?" You hated the way he spat that name out of his mouth. Until meeting Jesse tonight you hadn't realized exactly how much. Jackson used you since the day he met you. Anything and everything that was yours turned sour in his touch. Your quiet hesitancy prompted the metal in your side to dig in harder. Decidedly not a knife, but even guns left bruises. A hand grasped the back of your neck and sharply titled your head. Warm breath on ear signaled he had bent down to your height. The very thought of him being this close behind you sent chills down your spine. 

"I said," the hand moved up and gripped tightly on the hair at the back of head causing you to wince, "Where have you been, (Y/N)?" You sobered up completely at that. 

"I got held up. You know how everyone is. They wouldn't let me stop playing. And then I had to get through the crowds and drunk people are really hard to move through" you rambled on hoping an excuse would stick. 

You essentially retold your whole night, leaving out your impromptu meeting, before you stopped talking. The loosening grip on your hair and the pull back on the gun in your side gave you hope that Hyde would be merciful about your lateness, but you were quickly turned around and slapped. Hard. Your ears were ringing as you stumbled to the ground. Tears stung at the back of your eyes as you could feel the shape of his hand sting the left side of your face. You wanted to move away from him but fear kept you in place.

"I don't think I heard an apology in those useless excuses of yours." He said. You could feel something more than disappointment in his words. "I stay up and wait for you wondering if you're alive, if you're dead," he sauntered over to you, "if you went to the cops."

"No! No I would never do that. You know that. You know me." You tried pleading with him and received only a wicked grin.

"See here's the thing. I know a girl, a lot like you, named (Y/N). We picked her up on Route 66. Nowhere to go, no one to go to. Just a pretty face and busted up guitar case. We, no I, helped that girl. I kept her from begging on the streets. I promised to show her this whole wide world. I gave her a home and family. That girl would never lie to me" He stooped to your level and grabbed your throat, squeezing just hard enough to force you to use shallow breaths, "You sweetheart? You might have that pretty little face and hell, you even got that piece of shit guitar case, but I don't think for a goddamn second that you're not lying to me. Now did you go to the cops?"

" No, I-" you rasped out trying to find the words. "I swear, Jackson. I just got held up," his grip tightened. "Please, I'm n-not lying. I'm sorry. I'm s-so so sorry. It won't happen again." Satisfied with your answer he let you go, air rushing into your lungs and burning all the way down. You coughed and hoped it wouldn't bruise. But then again it never did. 

"Good. Town’s getting knocked over by some unwelcome authorities. We'll be leaving here tomorrow night, but before that I'm going to need you to give one last performance, Avita. You know the drill, and no funny business. I don't want you getting held up again. Got it?" 

"Yes" you uttered out meekly. 

"Good. Goodnight, (Y/N)." he said placing a kiss on your forehead and ruffling your hair. He walked back into the darkness of the house. You stayed on the floor unable to move. As much as the pain of the last 10 minutes seemed to cause, all you think about was the worse pain tomorrow would bring. Unlike all the other places you had been, you really liked Dorado. The music, the food, the people. All the friends and happy faces you would have to leave behind. All the children. Mireya would be devastated most of all. But what about Jesse? You wanted more time with him most of all and here it was slipping out of your grasp. Could you even keep your promise to meet him? What if he knew about you and this life? Would he run? Would he help you run? You hadn't realized you were crying until a tear dropped from your face and resounded on the hollow floor. 


	4. Last Minute Thoughts

A soft wind played through Jesse's hair as he leaned against the base of a statue. He took a deep inhale on the cigarillo in his mouth, filtering warmth to his lungs as he gazed on the orange sunset settling over the city. Plaza del Rio was set atop one of the larger hills, laying out the maze of streets and alleys of the vibrant city. But while Jesse’s eyes fixed on the landscape his mind drifted to you. He thought about how the dying light would play on your (H/C) hair. Would your (E/C) eyes light up like fire? Would that gentle smile adorn your face as you took in the majesty of the sky? Would you even realize that you were already more beautiful than it could ever be?

A part of him thought he was getting ahead of himself. He'd only just met you and he knew so little about you. Unmatched beauty and a lovely singing voice are not a good basis of a long-lasting relationship outside of fairy tales. But there was a reason why Jesse was standing in the plaza. Why he had been there for hours and why that nervous flutter in his stomach hadn’t gone away since he arrived. There was a strong part of him that was sure of everything. He was sure that he needed to know nothing else about you and sure he was making the right choice. Even before you had left each other last night he was more sure of himself than he had ever been and he was willing to go all the way to see whatever sort of conclusion this would lead to. After the events of this morning it was going to be a little hard to not be all in. 

 

* * *

 

"McCree reporting in. Mornin' sir." Jesse said trying to keep his voice level. It may have been a video chat but Reyes was still just as imposing in 1080p. 

"McCree. I was told you have a status update for me? This has better be good considering you declared the mission over yesterday" Jesse hesitated at his unamused tone. All his carefully crafted arguments and conversation points fell always as he met Reyes stare. He felt like a petulant child asking his mother for more time at the park. He tried to center his thoughts and remember why he was doing this in the first place. He ended up picturing your face.

"Well? Don't tell me you called just because you missed this ugly mug?" Jesse snapped out of his hesitant revelry and gave a low chuckle. Reyes was in a mood. A good one it seemed to be making jokes like that. That Jesse could work with. 

"Well sir, I can rightly say these cold Dorado mornings ain't been right without that warm smile of yours." Reyes rolled his eyes at the playful banter but Jesse continued. "I've got a tip to some new activity. Went to the local festival last night and met a few people. Sounds like someone's still giving them grief. I know we rounded up Los Muertos yesterday but I don't think a final sweep wouldn't hurt nothin'," Jesse's lie may have been simple but he owed that to the man he was talking to. 

Reyes taught him that the best lies always have some element of truth. This not only allows the liar to readily recall details and facts without improvising last second, but it could help them keep the lie small and manageable. Half-truths may be considered whole lies but damnit if they weren't easier to tell. Jesse could only hope that his mentor had taught him well enough to fool him. He could have sworn his ever neutral face lit up when he mentioned the festival but Jesse had to hope he took the bait he had laid. 

Reyes let out a deep sigh “Alright. Intel has been picking reports of some aggravated B&E's in the area. The pattern fits a potential unsub, but there are holes in the evidence. If you think they might be tied to Los Muertos I'll let you keep digging." Jesse had to hold in his shock. He wasn't anticipating this to go this well. He had expected more glaring, brooding and general unpleasantness. He had prepared for every eventuality but not success. Though the fact that his lie was corroborated by fact did give him a bit of pause.   
"But, you and Genji are on your own. I'll pass any intel I get but I'm not throwing any more resources at this 'side quest'," Reyes said back in hard ass mode. Honestly, Jesse missed the usual resistance. He would be lying if he didn't think there wouldn’t be a catch. "You have 3 days and then you're coming back. Tough shit if you can't find them. It will have to become local governments problem."

Jesse bristled a little at the last statement. If there really was something wrong in the neighborhood he'd like to help until it was resolved. But thinking back on his original reason for requesting extra time he figured 3 days might just be enough. He hoped so. 

"Thank you, sir. I'll have a status update for you come tomorrow." 

"Alright McCree, looking forward to it. Oh and Jesse?" Jesse paused not anticipating any last thoughts. " Roses are out of season, but go to Abuelita Rodrigo. Make sure to get red, it’ll make a bigger difference than lilies."

"Uh, what, I-" before Jesse could stammer out a comprehensible defense the video call went black, leaving Jesse to stare at his very red face staring back at him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for continuing with the story! Any comments are greatly appreciated! The next chapters are on the way


	5. Wherever you're going

Out of breath you arrived at Plaza del Rio. It sat on top of one of the larger hills in Dorado, overlooking the city. The first time you made it up here the picturesque view took your breath away but today’s events were already doing a pretty good job. Your time was limited and the plaza was very open, not many things to hide behind, save a few willow and golden medallion trees. You knew this would help you find Jesse easily, considering you hadn’t given him an exact location. You hoped it wouldn’t hinder you later. You quickly scanned the Plaza and saw a very familiar hat resting on the base of a statue. It was Santa Rita de Cascia, fitting, in its own right, as she looked over the city. You hoped both she and Jesse were blind to the events that transpired today.

You walked over to the statue but found the hat alone, it’s owner nowhere to be seen. Nervousness started to build within in you. Where was Jesse? You hadn’t known him for that long, and even then you hardly knew him but he didn’t seem like the type to leave his hat. Were you too late? Had someone else gotten here before you?

Your vision suddenly went dark as two large hands came across your face and covered your eyes. You immediately tensed at the movement and heal your breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

"Darlin'?" Hesitantly sounded off behind you. Hands dropped from your eyes and you spun around to face a confused Jesse. You relaxed at the sound of his voice, hoping you could brush off how tense you were a moment ago.  You didn't want him to know that you were expecting someone else to crash this party. 

“Hey Jesse” you said as calmly as possible hoping to shake off the previous awkwardness. You tried to give a comforting smile, but soon found yourself stuck staring at the cowboy. His deep brown eyes shone with hazel and auburn struck through his hair like a vein of gold in the hillside. You were just now noticing the rugged features of his face. Sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw with a scruffy beard and even scruffier muttonchops blurring the borders. The blaze of the setting sun highlighted every feature that was obscured by the darkness of last night. You had to give it to the cowboy, candles and lanterns did not do him justice. 

"Darlin'?" Jesse said waving his hand slightly. "What's wrong? Do I have something on my face? I asked Genji to help me shave, I swear if he-" you laughed at his rambling and he stopped as it escaped your lips.

“No, no it's just, wow, you clean up very well. Though it is nice to know the whole cowboy look is permanent." You gestured to his clothes. He had on a very clean and pressed white button down accompanied by the standard jeans and chaps. His shoes had been shined and a polished bolo tie hung around his neck. You swore a light blush painted his cheek. 

"Well gee, sweet pea, you ain't so bad yourself". You had forgotten you were wearing a dress. After dropping Mireya off with her very grateful mother, the woman decided she had to repay you somehow. Taking no time to figure out where you were headed next, she ran inside and pulled out a knee length (F/C) dress. The sweetheart neckline and scoop back made it tasteful but the mockingbird stitched into the side just above your hip made it perfect. You wondered how long she must have had this dress. However as nice as you looked you still felt like it wasn't enough. Jesse had probably spent a good portion of his day getting ready for this moment and you were indirectly terrorizing the populace. 

"These are for you." Jesse pulled you out of your thoughts as he pulled out a large bouquet of roses. There had to be at least 36 of the red flowers in his hands. If you thought you were overreacting before you didn't anymore. Your heart both fluttered and dropped at the sight. 

"Is it too much?" Jesse spoke at your hesitancy. "Abuelita Rodrigo wouldn't let me leave with just a dozen." 

"Jesse they're perfect. You're perfect. Everything about this is perfect, except for-,” just as you were about to finish your sentence. The towns church bells struck tolling 6 o’clock. You faltered in your statement reminded of last night and the magic of meeting the cowboy for the first time. You chided yourself internally for approaching tonight so hesitant. Last night came so easy to you, so why were you trying to stop this one before it even got off the ground? You looked in to his eyes and and decided he needed a chance. You both did.

You quickly grabbed at his hand shocking him slightly. "Jesse, can we talk? Is there a place we can sit?" At that he gave what you thought must be a trademarked smirk and repositioned his hand so his fingers intertwined with yours. 

"Sure thing, honeybee, right this way." He gave a half bow and gestured toward his left. Leading you towards a willow tree that led towards the edge of one of the park cliffs. As you got closer you noticed something red laying on the ground. A hand cane to your mouth as you stared at Jesse's work before you. 

His red serape from last night was laid out like a picnic blanket, a set of candles on each of the four corners, holding it down. A paper lantern and last night’s decorations hung on a bough of the tree, illuminating the area with light and color. A small basket sat to the side, bread and wine sticking out of the top, it's other contents a surprise to be opened. 

"Oh, Jesse-" you breathed out, unable to stop the smile that bubbled its way out of your heart. You gripped his hand tighter. No one had done something like this for you in years. 

Jesse's grin exploded into a full smile at seeing your face light up. The flowers may have been Reyes idea and Genji helped pick out his clothes but this was all his idea and he was glad that this was what caught your attention the most. 

"After you, darlin'," he said pulling you forward, never once letting go of your hand until you had seated yourself. Within his grasp, you felt he was trying to memorize the details of your life. The callouses from playing guitar, the softness indicating that despite a very mobile life nothing too physically strenuous plagued you, the scars from what he could guess involved the Omnic Crisis a few years ago and fresh bumps and bruises he had yet to know about but hoped to learn soon. 

You felt the constant worry of time ticking away slip from the forefront of your mind and you realized your eyes hadn't left Jesse's face since you had sat down. If you were going to memorize every detail you wanted some facts to accompany it. 

"I know so little about you. Who are you Jesse McCree?"

"Well sweet pea, don't you know? I'm your huckleberry." He said faking mock hurt. You couldn't stifle the laugh at obvious dig to your song last night. "What was the name of that song?" Jesse asked pulling out the bottle of wine and two glasses. 

"Moon river by Henry Mancini. It's from a very, very old movie. About 100 years old. My dad," you paused slightly at the word you hadn't spoken in years, "um, he had a really old record passed down through our family. I think that movie is how my great great grandparents met. We lost the record in the crisis." You felt something untoward bubbling in your stomach as you drifted off from the end of your sentence. You accepted the wine Jesse offered you to stifle it, something you'd probably regret later.

"Remind me what the song was about?" You could tell his words were sincere but you couldn't help but give him an incredulous smirk. "Sorry darlin’, as pretty as that song was I got a little distracted last night by something a whole host prettier.” He said hand moving from your hand to your waist bringing you closer to him. You relaxed under his closeness and focused on the songs apparent future than its tragic past. 

" I think it's about someone who realizes the one thing they thought was holding them back actually helped them find exactly what they wanted in the end." You looked up and discovered just how close this newfound proximity warranted. You could feel the heat of Jesse's breath play across your cheek. The smell of tobacco radiated off him, but at this distance you could smell cinnamon and sandalwood as well. He was already so close, but you burned to bring it closer still. You centered yourself. You still had to attend to a few things before the night was through, tough as that may be. 

You took a sip of your wine again and rested your head on his shoulder hoping to ease the temptation to pick up again from last night by using your body as a barrier. The sun had disappeared behind the buildings leaving dark purples and oranges on the horizon, stars peeking out a bit higher up. The moon still far off. 

"Do they teach all the boys to be this charming where you're from?" He never did answer your question. If directness wasn't go to work maybe you could get your answer indirectly. 

"Why? You looking to start a harem?" You gave a small laugh at that.

"No but if you don't tell me I'll just imagine a secret town filled with handsome mysterious cowboys. I just don’t think my poor heart could take it." He laughed in turn.

“Well sorry to burst your bubble sweetheart, but Route 66 ain’t filled with much to begin with.” Route 66. That was something you could hold onto at least. “Besides, ain’t no one like me, but me.”

“I’ve met a lot of mean you say the same things.”

"Maybe, but I'm the best at what I do. At everything I do." You could feel the rumble of his voice in his chest as his words became dangerously low. He really knew how to get past your walls.

"Bold claim, cowboy. I can't say I know you all that you do and I can’t say I know you all that well but I can say this." You turned to him heat rising in your face. "You are a damn good kisser." With that, your lips met in a hungry manner. You weren't lying just then. You may not have kissed a lot of boys in your lifetime but Jesse set the bar very high. The kiss quickly became passionate, hands gripping onto clothes and into hair hoping to keep each other close. But then something unexpected happened. Jesse grabbed you and pulled you into his lap and slowed everything down. He wrapped his hands around you, keeping you in place. Instead of littering your mouth with kisses as he did just moments before he stayed perfectly still. You could still feel the passion and hunger underneath it but you could tell he was savoring this. Savoring this moment, your lips, your taste, your feel, this kiss. And you were as well. It tasted like love, and you both welcomed it and were totally unprepared for it. A thought struck you then. Jesse sparked a lot of things in you and maybe it did go the other way but, were you ready and willing to drag him further?

What you were going to do next was for the best you had to tell yourself. You were wholly ready to leave Jesse out of some sense of honor and duty. Who were you drag an innocent into your fight? You were never going to be ready to leave him for love. You shuddered to think what the Scavengers would do if they knew of him. If they knew of him and you. Whatever this thing between you was they would destroy it like everything else in your life. 

"Jesse,” You pulled away, still reeling from the feeling and the lack of oxygen. “We can’t do this." You tried to pull yourself out his lap but he wouldn't budge. 

“Sweetheart ya ain’t making sense. What do you mean by this?” Jesse said trying to catch your gaze but you wouldn’t oblige him.”

“I’m sorry, I just have to go.” You tried to pull yourself out his lap but he wouldn't budge. 

"Now hang on, it ain't even midnight yet. I don't see no pumpkins or evil stepmothers." If he only knew how right the last part was. "Are we going too fast? Do you want me to slow down" You felt his grip loosen slightly, and you missed the warmth that enveloped you.

"No, I’ve never wanted someone’s arms around me more." you cupped his cheek and stared into his eyes. He was pleading for an explanation and words were failing you. How could you begin to explain the mess you were in? You gave him a chaste and meaningful kiss to get your point across, if not to buy you time to compound your thoughts. “We're just out of time. I'm trouble Jesse. A storm is following me, and I won't put you in danger." You took his daze to stand up and turn, wiping a threatening tear out of your eye. 

You felt his hand grasp onto yours tightly. He was going to make it impossible to leave. 

"I know you don't know much about me, but I can take care of myself." His voice was steady and low, seemingly ready to be pointed towards the unknown threat. "I can also take care of you, (Y/N), if you'd let me" his voice softened considerably at that last part. You believed him. He could have told you he had wings or elephants would fly out of his butt and you would have believed him. You believed him because as that boy sat there holding your hand you knew he was also holding his heart. He might not be forthcoming but he was so damn sincere. There were no double meanings in his words, no hidden threats. You honest to God believed him because above all else you trusted him.

So, you told him. You told him everything. You told him how at 17 you ran away from an empty home. Parents gone, one by “illness” another by obsession and assassination. How you went from the frying pan into the fire that was the Omnic Crisis. How you drifted and played your father’s guitar to make ends meet and how one day on a street corner someone with pretty, blue eyes gave you the time of day. How it melted the ice you didn’t know was forming around your heart. How that one moment turned into 3 months of slavery under The Scavengers and all that entailed and how today, exactly two years later, you broke free of the cage you were in for a little girl and for him. You told him how he fit into your narrative. How he found his way into your narrative. How he forced his way in and wouldn't let go and how much you realized you didn't want him to but loved him too much for the storm that licked your heels. How at any second lightning was coming to strike you dead. 

You weren’t surprised at the silence that followed. The crickets seemed to chirp out the seconds it was taking him to respond. You knew he would soon let go of your hand and your run would continue. You closed your eyes hoping to steady yourself against the eventuality that this was the end of Jesse’s role in your life, but when two large arms wrapped around you and a warmth pressed into your back the tears you were holding back fell. Jesse spun you around into his chest and wiped your eyes. He placed kiss on kiss on your face until your quiet sobs turned to soft giggles. He ended his onslaught with a kiss on your forehead. 

"Let's get back to my hotel. We have a lot to talk about."

You both went blow out the candles and grab his serape off the ground when a slow clap froze your movements. You spun around slowly hoping you were wrong. Imagining everything. You prayed to god you were but you learned a long time ago, god is a mean son of a bitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (F/C) = Favorite Color
> 
> Sorry for the radio silence! I cannot keep a schedule apparently so here are 3 chapters to make up for it!


	6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter jumps back in time a bit to the afternoon before your meeting with Jesse (last chapter)

You sat on the porch of the abandoned house, holding the guitar case close to your body. It was a little after noon and you were already desperately waiting for this day to be over. You had both something to look forward to and something to dread. All you could do was hope that the events of this evening might make up for the duties of today. The front door opened behind you with a slam signaling an end to the heist brief and an end to your peace. You kept your eyes on the town in the distance hoping to remain alone for as long as possible. You heard hurried footsteps run towards but before you could move out of the way, a large weight slammed into your back causing you to lurch forward, nearly falling into the dirt. The discomfort in your back and the struggle to catch your breath was nothing compared to the sheer hatred welling up inside you at the person on your back. 

 "Hey birdie!" he yelled in your ear. "You excited to leave this shithole they call a town? Wait I'm sorry, this agujero de mierda. When in Rome right?"

 You tried to shake the man off your back but he wouldn't move. Instead he gripped his arms around your shoulders, threatening to move them up around your neck. His name was Casper, the Scavengers safe cracker. Fitting name, as he was considered by many to be a ghost in Northern Europe. Nothing was impregnable to him and nothing couldn’t be cracked. You unfortunately fell on this list. You may fear Jackson but you hated Casper. They were like the opposite sides of the same coin. They both knew your weaknesses but where Jackson would only exploit them to get what he wanted, Casper exploited them for fun as often as he could. 

 He tightened his arms around you, pressing further into your back. "Don't make such a sour face, (Y/N).  I'm sure we'll never return to this little corner of the world and I'm sure no one will miss you." His mouth turned into smirk as he settled his head on yours. You knew he was just trying to get a rise out of you but you couldn't stop the pit in your stomach from getting bigger. 

 The weight was suddenly lifted off from you, allowing you to sit up and take a full inhale. You readjusted as you looked over to the commotion at your left. Casper was yelling obscenities as he hung in the air. He was being hoisted by his shirt 3 feet off the ground by Thompson, the weapons specialist. He never said much and the only time he ever talked directly to you was the first time you tried to run away. After that night, you knew he would never help you escape but he wouldn't go out of his way to remind you of that fact. And on occasions like this one he would keep his two partners from going too far. 

 "That's ‘nuff Holmes. 'Eve got work ta be done." He dropped Holmes unceremoniously onto the dusty porch. He looked over to you ignoring the very disgruntled man next to him. "We all do."

Thompson walked down the porch, his large boots shaking you with every step. He disappeared behind the side of the house, probably to get the getaway car and necessary weapons. Casper stumbled after him, looking to give the old Brit a piece of his mind. All that left was...

 "(Y/N)." Your breath caught in your throat and you involuntarily straightened your spine. Images of last night flashed in your memory. He sauntered over to you and stopped at your side. You took his silence as your cue to stand up. He immediately placed his hand on the small of your back, pulling you closer. "You remember what we talked about last night, _Avita_?”. Images of last night flashed in your memory. You nodded your head in confirmation, eyes darting away from the man. The grip on your side tightened aggravating last night’s bruises. "I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you"

"Y-yes, Jackson"

"Yes Jackson what?"

 "Yes Jackson, I remember what we talked about last night. No distractions today."

"Good." Jackson let go of your side but you could still feel the painful touch of his fingers on your body. Today was going to be a long day. 

Shortly after, Casper and Thompson pulled up in front of the house. You and Jackson descended the stairs and the pit in your stomach grew overwhelming the pain in your side. Jackson held open the back door for you but as you tried to climb in he grabbed your forearm holding you back. 

"One last thing. I'm coming with you today." Your eyes widened in shock and your hand gripped tighter around your guitar case. "It's an easy enough job for Casper and Thompson and besides. I haven't heard you play in so long." You could hear the venom dripping in his voice.

All your plans were dashed as soon as the words left his mouth. How could you get to Jesse if Jackson was watching your every step? There was no way he would let you wander around the city unattended especially not after last night.  It was then that something stirred in you. Something small but strong. A feeling you hadn't had in a long time. You wanted to fight. Break free from his grasp by any means necessary and just run. Run like hell, damn the consequences.

But as Jacksons grip tightened on your arm all your impulses flooded away from you. Dread and doubt seeped in. You couldn't get away, at least not right now. You put on your best fake smile. "Of course, Jackson. I'm looking forward to it"

* * *

 

You deliberately wandered through town at a slow pace. You had ditched Casper and Thompson at the car and continued on foot, Jackson never too far behind. You had crafted an appearance of being alone in this town so that at least kept Jackson at a good distance away, but you could feel his eyes on you the whole time. You couldn’t decide if this was better than having him at your side the whole way.

As you moved through the town you took in every detail as though it were your first time. The way the sun shone down on the stone and brick of every building, the beautiful overflowing flowers that hung in the windows, the spicy and savory smells emanating from any, and all open doors. The way people would smile at your approach, tipping hats, offering a small hello. You had only been there a month and yet everyone seemed to know who you were. It felt like the city had welcomed you into its family and didn’t judge you because you no longer had one. How would these people feel if they knew your very presence was a bad omen? 

 You reached the center of town after another few minutes of walking. A large marketplace opened before you, though the usually vibrant area was still somewhat subdued from last night’s revelries. It seemed every street and alley converged on this central area, creating a never-ending wave of people. A clock tower on one end the square, stared down the grand cathedral at the other, signifying the cardinal directions of North and South. The last time you had played here, the band of thieves tried to knock over one of the large LumeriCo pyramids. Tried being the operative word as the target they were after slipped through their grasp, leaving only a wake of substantial property damage. As you moved towards a pile of crates at the end of the plaza, Jackson drafted off to your left from you, snaking through some of the stalls. You unloaded your guitar from your case fully aware that the new distance between you meant nothing. You weren’t sure if you would see him when you started playing but you knew he would be watching you. The plan had to continue to Jackson’s standards and you of all people were not going to get in his way. You glanced at the clock tower noting it was 3:15 pm. Sundown was coming soon, but the heist would start sooner. You were still unsure how you would get away, if you could get away. Every thought that came to you was easily squashed by Jackson’s presence. Defeat hung in your mind as you began to tune your guitar, unknowingly plucking out the first few notes of Moon River to check your work. 

 A slight cough brought you out of your mindless state, and you looked up to see a few townspeople already forming around you. You smiled slightly not realizing your mere presence would draw a crowd. Your face dropped a little when you noticed Jackson at the back leaning against a wall. You cleared your mind and gave a general greeting before turning back to your guitar. You hesitated before strumming your first note. Jackson gave you instruction to play something upbeat and simple but with everything weighing down on your mind you knew you couldn’t. If your only act of defiance today would be wearing your heart on your sleeve then so be it. 

_Never thought that I was weak_

_Always thought I could get hurt pretty bad_

_Still get up on my own two feet_

_I always believed that I was free_

_That I had some sense of integrity_

_That would rise above whatever tried to change me_

 

_But honey now I won't wait_

_For something to bring me around and smile_

_'Cause that only sticks for a while_

_Then I'm back again_

_Oh, I'm a master pretender_

 You peered up at Jackson and made sure to look directly into his eyes. Every word you sang became a manifesto. All the anger and emotion poured forth into your hands and before you knew it you were standing up on the crate, the crowd absolutely memorized by your singing. You paused slightly before the last verse looking at the crowd in front of you, now larger than when you started. You realized this was as much for them as it was for you. For everyone you had hurt along the way, for the people you were hurting today and didn’t’ even know. For those you left behind. For those that left you behind. For your parents. 

_I always thought that you'd be here_

_But shit gets fucked up and people just disappear_

 

_So honey now don't be mad_

_Time has told me it can't be that bad_

_And if it is, well, big goddamn but I'll stick around_

 

_I'll be your master defender_

_Yeah, I'll stick around_

_I'll be your master defender_

 You strummed the last chord to an uproar of applause. They might never know the exact meaning behind those words but you could tell that they knew it came from your heart. An action you hadn’t taken in a long while, not counting last night. You heard a small commotion to the left and could see a fuming Jackson pushing his way through the crowd towards you. Before you could make a move away, a large explosion rocked the square, causing you to lose balance and fall to the ground. You hit your head on the cobblestone as you landed, not hard enough to immobilize you but hard enough to fuzz your vision. You wanted to get onto your feet, but the multitude of people scrambling around you made it next to impossible; you had to focus more on keeping you and your guitar from getting trampled. Another explosion, shook the ground, causing others to fall. You took this opportunity to get up and look around. In the distance, you could two large columns of smoke emanating from a LumeriCo pyramid probably 5 blocks south of your position, hardly a mile away. People ran in the opposite direction, no doubt that debris and fire engulfed the homes and businesses closer to the epicenter. 

 Jobs never went this bad, even when they went south. This was a deliberate, ‘fond’ farewell to Dorado and you knew who you had to blame. You wanted to be angry at the Scavengers and point fingers but you yourself were not absolved of guilt. Every note you plucked on the guitar in your hand had led to this. As you looked and the horror of the people that ran by you felt your heart sink in your chest. This was your fault as well. Had the fear of death and abandonment really kept you from doing what you knew was right? This could have been stopped months ago if you had done anything but nothing. 

 A wail in the frenzy caught your attention. Amidst the screams was a voice you knew all too well. You quickly scanned around you and saw the one thing that broke your heart all over again. Mireya was huddled under a stall, looking around desperately for anyone to help but no one was paying attention. She turned her head this way and that and screamed for help when she caught you shocked gaze. Another explosion came and the shouting intensified, but you didn’t turn away. You couldn’t hear her but as she stretched her hands out towards you, tears falling from her eyes. You watched her mouth out the word ‘ayúdame’

What stirred in you earlier that day rose again from deep within in you. You clenched your fists and your body shook with anger. That was it. That would be the last straw. Enough is enough. You wouldn’t play into Jackson’s games anymore. This was not who you wanted to be. No one else was going to get hurt because of anything you did, directly or indirectly. You pushed your way through the crowd to get to Mireya. You scooped her up and darted toward another pile of crates, choosing to hide from the crowd waiting for them to pass before making any further movements. You wiped the tears from her face and held her close to you. As the screams died down, you peered over the crates, noting the once vibrant square to be empty. You grabbed your guitar and stood up. The clock tower still worked, signaling it was 4:30. you were about to nod to Mireya to come out a when hand pulled you by your hair and dragged you down the street. 

 “Well, Avita, this is a fine mess you’ve gotten us into. Goddamn plan is shot. Had to trigger everything too fucking early.” Your struggle and screams caused Jackson to throw you to the ground, landing with heavy thud on your side, your guitar following suit. “And for what, huh, some fucking backwater beaners you’ve known for less than a few weeks. Say goodbye to this fucking town because I’m going make sure you never see it again!” Jackson jumped on top of you and grabbed your neck, threatening to squeeze harder still. 

You spat in his face and looked directly at him “Then you’ll have to kill me. I’m not going anywhere with you ever again.” He slammed you down into the cobblestone, screaming in your face. His blind anger made him careless and you the opportunity to knee him hard in the gut. As he rolled over to your left, you your rolled to your right and grabbed your guitar. You were on your feet first as he struggled to get on his hands and knees. You brought the family heirloom down over his head and shattered the body with a loud out of tune twang. Jackson crumpled to the ground, blood oozing out of the back his head. You threw the neck of the guitar to the side, freeing yourself of both your captor and your cage at the same time. You took a few deep breaths before you went back to Mireya. You picked her up and ran down an alleyway towards her house. Sundown was coming shortly and you had a date to keep.

* * *

 Debris and smoke made it hard to walk through the alleyways and streets but Genji made do and treaded lightly. The LumeriCo pyramid yielded no evidence as to whom was responsible for the panic that gripped the city. The radius of destruction ended at the town square, leaving buildings untouched and blood unspilled. If the explosions had gone off later, it would have incurred far worse damage as a processional from the cathedral was slated to walk towards the pyramid, no doubt any nearby citizens would have accompanied. It seemed to Genji that whoever was behind this wanted that as an end goal, so why trigger early? As Genji walked through the square, something caught the corner of his eye. The town square was relatively unharmed so it struck him odd for a single broken guitar to lay in the street. As he drew closer, Genji noticed a pool of blood leading into a trail down a nearby street. With no other leads, Genji followed the blood hoping to have a few words with whomever was on the other side.


	7. Rainbow's End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter puts us back in the appropriate timeline, picking up where chapter 5 ended. Sorry for any confusion!

In all his infamy, stood one Jackson Hyde. Seemingly amused at the sight before him, Jackson stepped out of the shadows towards you and Jesse, still menacingly clapping. In a move that could only be described as reflexive, you quickly placed yourself between them, standing steadfast in front of Jesse, though your mind screamed at you to run. Jackson halted at this and a lewd smirk adorned his face. 

"Well, well, welly well, well. You didn't tell me you had a date, Avita" every word dripped with malice. "Do you know how long I've been looking for you, today? Since you left me in the town square? It's not nice to leave people for dead. But if you do make sure you finish the job.”

"I-"

"IM NOT FINISHED. Oh, not even close." You couldn't even utter a syllable as Jackson's voice boomed throughout the park. Your words died in your throat and your resolve faltered a little. "You know, I had forgotten how much fun you were. I missed this spitfire we picked up in the middle of bumfuck, nowhere. I mean here you are, playing the rebel and the whore."

"My mama always said, if ya ain't got anything nice to say, you can always shut the hell up" Jesse rang out from behind. You hadn't realized you'd been slowly moving back from Jackson during his diatribe. Jesse's reassuring hand on your shoulder showed you just how much distance you had spanned.  

"Sorry, buckaroo, ain't made yer acquaintance." Jackson said mocking Jesse's southern drawl. Anger started to return to you then. Jackson could say what he wanted about you, but you'd be damned if he was going to talk to Jesse that way. 

"Leave him alone Jackson. This is between you and me."

"Now, now sugar. The men are talking." Jackson's gaze moved off you as he stared Jesse down. You couldn't see his face but you were fairly certain Jesse wasn't going to flinch for this man. 

"You know you look very familiar." You could see the gears in his mind turn until, Jackson's eyes lighted on Jesse's arm. You could practically hear the click in his mind and his devilish smirk grew wider. "Well I'll be damned. Jesse McCree. Of all the gin joints, in all the towns in all the world, you walk into mine." You were confused to say the least. "So the rumors are true. You sold us down river and work for big bad Overwatch now." Your eyes widened at the information. 

"Hyde? Jackson Hyde?"

"In the flesh. I'm touched you remember me. You don’t typically leave Deadlock the same way you enter, though I don't need to tell you that." With that Jackson's eyes drifted back to you. You felt your breath catch in your throat. You knew what he was trying to tell you. Trying to get you to see that here you were, stuck between the devil you knew and the devil you didn't. You could feel Jesse's hand on you falter slightly. 

"Don't tell me you didn't tell her." Jackson's eyes and smile bore into you. "Didn't you know, Avita? Jesse and me used to run around the Southwest, knocking over banks and anyone else that got in our way. Hell, he taught me everything I know."

You turned around looking at Jesse for the first time since Jackson arrived. His mouth was in a hard set line and his fingers twitched but his eyes showed a level of dismal honesty. You could tell he wasn't going to rebuke Jackson as much as he obviously wanted to. Once again you realized just how little you knew him and unconsciously took a step back. 

"Come here, (Y/N)." Jackson said and a chill ran down your spine. You couldn't tear your eyes off Jesse and he didn't stop looking at you. 

"(Y/N)," Jackson said your name quite sternly. "I said come here." You couldn't turn around but you weren't sure what you were waiting for. You expected Jesse to say something, some sort of final plea or explanation to the history laid before you but he remained silent looking at you. Did he not care if you stayed or went? It was then that you realized why he was so quiet. It wasn't his choice whether you stayed or you left. For the last 3 months, you had been told what to do, where to go, how to live. Unlike Jackson he was giving you a choice and that simple thought was all you needed to make your decision. 

"No" you uttered simply. Jesse allowed a small smirk to grace his face. You walked over to Jesse and grabbed his hand and stared Jackson down. "I meant what I said earlier today. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"(Y/N), I don't think you realize-"

"No! You don't realize. This is it! This is the end to all of this. Go back to whatever hellhole you crawled out of Jackson Hyde, because I will never go anywhere with you ever again." Jackson was seething. 

"Well that's too bad, because that wasn't a request. I own you and your pathetic life, (Y/N). So either get your ass over here or so help me God I will drag you over here."

"You can sure as hell try, Hyde, but you and I both know you won't make it two steps before I put you down." Jesse threatened, hand gripping yours tighter. 

Jackson let out a good laugh at that which made you uneasy. "Well then, let's see if we can't put that Deadeye to good use." Jackson raised his hand and a loud bang rang out from the other side of the plaza. You could barely make out the sound of something whistling through the air, before Jesse pulled you towards him and jumped to his left, a small grenade landing just where you previously were leaving nothing a hole in the ground. Of course, he had brought Thompson with him. You were sure Holmes couldn't be too far behind. 

"Run for the trees!" Jesse yelled to you, and you quickly scrambled out of the open area. Jesse combat rolled towards the picnic basket and reached inside. Six rapid succession gunshots fired through the base of the basket as Jesse laid suppressing fire for your escape. Jackson darted back into the shadows, but a small yelp clearly meant he hadn’t made it unscathed.

The resulting firefight was loud and frantic. The minimal cover the park provided left Jesse stuck behind a willow tree 25 feet away from you. It was too dark to see where Jackson and Thompson were, until the fire from their guns, lit up their locations. This forced Jesse to lay down blankets of fire hoping he would either hit something or they’d run out of bullets. 

You waited behind your own willow tree, desperate to help in anyway but without a weapon, you were functionally useless. You couldn’t just sit around and do nothing. Maybe you could find some sort of help. There was no way you’d be able to make a run for town and you’d never leave Jesse here by himself. You didn’t have any sort of communication device, but you knew a certain someone on this cliffside did. 

“Found you, birdie.” Speak of the devil. Casper jumped on you like earlier, but this time he didn’t hold back his weight, forcing you to the ground. You struggled under him and managed to roll onto your back. You swung your fists and trashed your legs but he was able to catch and dodge where needed. It didn’t even seem to faze him, as he laughed in your face. “Come on now birdie, it’s time to go home.” He used his lower body to stop your legs and had a tight grasp on your arms, hard enough to bruise. He forced you into a seated position, but kept his face close to yours, obviously more interested in playing with prey, than finishing his task. With no other, recourse available you gave him a forceful head-butt. You could hear something crunch against your forehead, before you fell back to the ground dazed at the pain that exploded behind your eyes. You scrambled to your feet, now facing an angry Capser, blood gushing from his nose

“Oh, you’re going to pay for that.” With that Casper launched himself at you, uncommon murderous intent in his eyes. You just managed to move out of the way. You knew that in his rage, he’d beat you half to death with his fists. You needed something fast and picked up a fallen branch, no longer than your arm. He laughed as he saw you try to defend yourself. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, birdie, but I’m going to tear you, limb from limb.” He rushed at you again, and you took a swing. You managed to land the hit across his head, effectively immobilizing him, but his momentum still carried and he fell on top of you. The wind was knocked out of you as you both fell to the ground, and a sharp crack in your chest brought searing pain and fresh tears to your eyes. You struggled to push him off you, but succeeded in at least wiggling out from under his mass. The involuntary inhale of breath aggravated your cracked rib, but you continued in your previous plan. You patted down Casper’s sides and pockets until you felt the small communication device you were looking for. You opened it and searched through menus looking for something to dial with, until something very peculiar caught your eye. Right then, you could hear Jesse cry out. Looking up you could see him grip his shoulder, red coating his white shirt. You were running out of time and options, so pressed your luck and the button. Several rings passed before a woman with long black hair and a sigil under an eye appeared, obviously not pleased.

“This is Commander Amari of Overwatch, you have access to a restricted channel. Identify yourself and purpose.”

“Please! We need your help!” A loud explosion behind you cut off your sentence. The tree Jesse hid behind was nothing more than embers. You couldn’t see him anymore, but the continuing firefight at least let you know he hadn’t suffered the same fate.

“I repeat this is a restricted channel, why have you not contacted authorities? Athena, prepare to cut communications.”

“No wait! Please! My name is (Y/N) (L/N). I’m here with Jesse McCree!” The commander stopped at that, placing full attention on your words.

“Jesse McCree? What do you mean? Where are you?”

“We’re under attack at the Plaza del Rio in Dorado, Mexico. He’s outnumbered, we need help, we-,” the device was yanked out of your hand and dashed against the tree you were hiding behind. You hadn’t noticed Jackson had stalked his way towards you. Jesse’s former position must have been the only thing keeping you from his grasp. He yanked you to your feet, with a tight grip on your upper arm. You tried to struggle out but a swift punch to side, stilled you as you tried not buckle under the pain. He remained silent as he walked you back towards the firefight. 

“Come on out, McCree! I’m giving you five seconds to show your face, or I’m putting a bullet in hers! Olly olly oxen-free, you son of a bitch!” Jackson yelled and true to his word he cocked his gun and shoved it under your chin, tilting your eyes on the now inky black sky. You could just make out Jesse’s form walk out behind one of the remaining trees. 

“You ain’t going to do that, Hyde.” Jesse said hands in the air. You wanted to scream at him to leave you but your words caught in your throat.  
“Yeah, you’re probably right. But follow us and I will.” Jackson holstered his gun and pulled you to his chest forcing your arm behind your back. He placed his other hand around your throat and drew your face closer to his. “You see, I’m really fond of our dear (Y/N),” with that he stole a hasty kiss from your lips. You shuddered from sheer disgust and Jesse growled through his teeth. “But I’m not fond of trouble and she’s the limiting factor.” Jackson’s grip on your throat tightened quickly causing your free hand to try and tear of his, blackness quickly seeping into your vision from the lack of oxygen.

“You have my word, Hyde.” Jesse said quickly, the plea in his voice unmistakable even at a distance.

“Oh, I know McCree. I know good and well about your words.” Jackson loosened his grip on you and you slumped in his hold. You looked over to Jesse, who seemed to let out a sigh of relief. You knew what was coming when you felt Jackson shift behind you. Jesse, the damn fool, hadn’t taken his off you and with the last vestiges of voice in you yelled a desperate and raspy “run”.

Thompson fired grenade after grenade, forcing Jesse back towards the edge of the cliff. He dodged and rolled this way and that, but a poorly timed roll left him directly in front of the next grenade. The blast pushed him down the cliff into the darkness below. 

“Your words don’t mean shit, as far as I’m concerned.” You stood in shock unable to tear your eyes from the spot Jesse once was. A butt of a gun connected with your head before the tears even made their way to your eyes, leaving you in blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with the story! I have 2-3 more chapters left to this story and an epilogue to follow so stay tuned. Comments and critiques are appreciated as always!


	8. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I can't believe I finally got around to finishing this series. I set a deadline for the end of August and now it's the end of October. If you've stuck around since the beginning I appreciate you more than you could possibly know. It's taken a lot of rewrites to get to this point but I hope you all enjoy the ending of this little story I came up with after listening to a song.

Jesse McCree was dead.

 

He was fairly sure he was dead. Darkness clung desperately around his mind as his serape did around his body. Or at least used to. His senses were dulled as he waited for judgement, but the darkness could not strip him of his memory.

 

 Jesse could remember the smell of gunpowder and smoke all around him. He could still feel the earth quake under his feet as it cracked and crumbled and gave way beneath him. Heat from the explosion, felt trapped under his skin and the pain of falling down a cliff, ached deep in his bones. But amongst the static of sensory memory, he remembered you. Your emboldened and passionate eyes always yielding soft glances whenever you looked at him. What it was like to hold you in his arms. The way your head fit so perfectly under his chin. How your lips felt against his. Smooth as silk and sweet as honey. But it wasn’t all beautiful perfect memory as much as he wished it was. He could vividly remember your pained expression as the oxygen flooded out of your body. He still felt the fear with which you had told him to move. He could so clearly see that last image of you in his mind's eye, tearful and afraid as he plunged down the Cliffside. He worried it would stick there forever. Jesse McCree had resigned himself to hell a long time ago but if this was supposed to be his eternal punishment, he had underestimated his willingness to go quietly into the dark night. 

 

But as pain started to cloud Jesse's thoughts, the question as to whether or not he was actually dead surfaced to the front of his mind. Struggling to move still, Jesse cracked open his eyes one at a time and was met with a rather underwhelming grey ceiling instead of fire and brimstone. Tilting his head towards his right, he could see a small biotic emitter, emanating a soft hum. Definitely not dead it would seem, as the small device puttered away to keep him alive. 

 

However agreeable the situation seemed on the outside, Jesse quickly placed himself on guard. He had no idea where he was and his last memory was being blown off a cliff by some rather unsavory characters. Pushing through the injuries he would have to fully assess later, Jesse rolled over and swung his legs off the bed. Peacekeeper was nowhere in sight, a red flag. Heading to the door on the other side of the room, Jesse pressed his face to the cold wood. No sounds could be heard in the immediate hallway as far as he could tell. The door handle turned easily, unlocked. Bracing himself, he creeped into the corridor, careful to avoid shifting his aching ribs too much. No windows or clocks to tell the time, and no one to ask.

 

Muffled sounds quickly caught Jesse’s ear and drew him down the hall to a cracked door. Without any conceivable weapon, Jesse would have to hope his recent track record with following unknown noises would hold steady and in his favor.

 

“-results just came back. The explosion residue at the cliff matches that found at the LumeriCo pyramid and around town yesterday.”

 

“Leave it to Jesse to find a previously unidentified criminal organization while chasing a girl. I swear that boy will be the death of me.”

 

Jesse could recognize the voices of his fellow Blackwatch agent and commander and quickly relaxed.

 

“How is he doing by the way?” Even though he knows he would never it show it to his face, Jesse was slightly touched at Reyes’ concern.

 

“Fine as of an hour ago. He wore out the first biotic emitter but the second one was holding steady. He will need real medical attention.”

 

“A transport is currently en route. Should be there by sundown.” Jesse’s heart clenched at the silence that followed. He couldn’t leave Dorado without you. He refused to. Jesse was about to walk in when he heard Genji clear his throat.

 

“Sir, what about the girl? I’m sure she’s still with the Scavengers. There is little doubt that the aftermath of their confrontation with Jesse has jeopardized safety. She is comprised.”

 

“Unimportant, is what she is. She’s not Blackwatch’s problem, The Scavengers are. But they’re in the wind and our only lead is unconscious from his own short-sightedness and stupidity. I’m not wasting anymore resources on her.”

 

Jesse couldn’t stand by at this. He burst in the room, but Genji didn’t flinch. Jesse figured he was listening when he asked about you.

 

“I could give a rat’s ass about what is and what isn’t Blackwatch’s problem. Leads or not, we’re going after (Y/N).”

 

“Nice of you to join us, Jesse. I mean, it would be if you didn’t come in here screaming like a child.”

 

“I ain’t leaving Dorado without her.”

 

“Like hell you aren’t. You don’t get a say in this anymore, Jesse”

 

“I’m mission leader, ain’t I? I won’t declare this mission over then”

 

“Don’t fucking push me, kid. Local flirtation is one thing but Genji told me all about your date and everything else you’ve been doing under the guise of ‘additional investigations’. This ends now and that’s final. As it stands, I could drag your ass back on so many violations and code restrictions you won’t see active duty ‘til your dead. Which, if you hadn’t noticed, might be very soon if you go gallivanting off into the sunset trying to play hero.”

 

“It’s not that bad.”

 

“Being exploded off a cliff is no fucking walk in the park. If Genji hadn’t got there when he did-”

 

“I’d have been fine.”

 

“You’d have been dead” Jesse was silent at that, but did not let up on his angry stare.

 

“Son you have no leads, no resources and you’re half dead. Even if this girl is worth it, you’ll never find them and even if you did, you’d never make it out in one piece.”

 

“Is that a bet?”

 

“Goddamnit Jesse, get your head out of your ass for 5 minutes and listen to me! It’s a suicide mission. The ORCA is on its way and if you aren’t on it, so help me god, you’ll wish you had died on that cliff. Reyes out.

 

Jesse glared at the black screen left in Reyes absence. He wasn’t nearly done talking and his anger exploded as he punched the wall next to him leaving a sizable hole. He knew Reyes was right about his situation but it still left a bitter taste in his mouth. He couldn’t give up that easily, not while you were still out there with Hyde and the others. He needed a plan and fast. The sound of metal shifting distracted him from his thoughts, as he looked over to Genji reloading his shuriken in his arm.

 

“You heard Reyes. The ORCA will most likely be here by sundown and we have to be on it.” Jesse tensed up. He wasn’t expecting a fight from Genji but he wasn’t going to let it stop him if it came to it. Needless to say, he was confused when Genji handed him his Peacemaker.

 

“That means we’ve got until sundown to find them and get her back. You better have a good plan, cowman.” A wide grin painted Jesse’s face as he grabbed peacemaker. He knew he had kept the cyborg around for a reason.

 

* * *

 

You wished you were dead. The pain emanating from the back of your head may be clouding your thoughts but of this you were sure. You had woken up on the floor of a cramped storage room in the middle of god-knows-where, the events of the last 12 hours played like a loop in your pain-addled mind. You ran scenario after scenario hoping to find the flaw, the one aspect that could have altered your and Jesse’s fate but the one limiting factor was always you. If you had done as Jackson wanted, if you hadn’t fought back, if you hadn’t met Jesse on that cliff, if you hadn’t even talked to him in the first place you were sure the young cowboy would still be alive. You could still see his face so clearly. The love and comfort one minute and the anguish and pain the next. You missed the feeling of his arms around you and desperately needed them now more than ever. But who were you to selfishly want something like that.

 

There was at least one saving grace about your current situation. Being in The Scavengers care once again, meant that your wish would soon come to fruition. You were worthless to them without your guitar and worse you had put an international organization on their trail. You could only hope that they would give you quick death so they could continue their flight. You also hoped that Jesse might be waiting for you wherever you end up going and you could apologize.

 

Muffled voices outside your door signaled that your time would soon be up. Your recently found courage tried to push you to fight, but you found yourself once again with nothing left in this world to fight for and easily squashed it down. However, as the voices grew louder, you couldn’t help but push yourself further into the storage room. The door swung open with a loud bang causing you to jump slightly. Thompson stood there, his build taking up most of the door frame. He looked at you with the same stoic expression he always did but he didn’t move towards you. You were confused as to his intentions until the sound of shuffling behind him gave you cause for alarm. Thompson moved out of the way to reveal a very antsy and grinning Casper. So much for a quick death.

 

“Well, (Y/N), you really did it this time. Hyde’s so mad he won’t even come down here himself.” Casper said moving into the room. Thompson followed but stayed next to door as he closed it behind him. Despite Casper’s calm demeanor, an angry red welt lined his forehead from where you had struck him with the tree branch. From the intensity in his eyes, you could tell you would be repaid your kindness shortly. “When he told us everything you had been up to yesterday I couldn’t believe it! Could you, Thom?”

 

“No I couldn’t.” Thompson said rather flatly.

 

“We thought you knew better than that. Thought we had taught you better than that,” Casper said stalking closer to you. You couldn’t stop the fear that welled up within you as he tried to reached for your face. “Well don’t be scared, birdie. It’s not so bad, we just have to reteach you, that’s all”

 

“What? What do you mean?” the words fell out of your mouth before you knew what you were saying. Your fear was quickly replaced with a hesitant confusion. Were they not here to kill you? However, you tensed as Casper quickly came to your side and rested a hand on your shoulder.

 

“Did you think it was that easy? A couple of good hits and a foiled plan would make you worthless to us?” His hand gripped down tightly and you winced slightly. “We can always buy you another guitar. Hell, we can buy you 5,000 guitars. We’re not done with you, (Y/N). We’ve barely gotten started.” Your heart rate quickened at his final words. Was it all for nothing? The incident in the square and Jesse’s death all meaningless? They had taken everything from you, your freedom, your love and now they’ve taken away your death. You pulled out of grip and tried to dart for the door, but Thompson easily caught and pushed you back to the ground with a heavy thud. You didn’t even try to get back up.

 

“And here I thought this might go over easily. Looks like I owe Hyde five bucks.”


	9. Closer

Surprisingly, finding the Scavengers was not as hard as Jesse initially thought it would be. Athena had sadly informed them that Reyes had cut both him and Genji off from using any Overwatch resources, when they tried to access the mainframe. But Jesse had always liked Dorado for more than just it’s charming appeal and delicious churros. A quick couple of calls to some local friends and a few favors cashed in got both agents access to a few well positioned satellites. It was easy then to follow their movements out of the city and to an abandoned LumeriCo building a few miles out of town.

 

It was decided that to keep the element of surprise on their side as much as possible, Genji and Jesse would have to split up. Jesse, of course, would go in by himself and hopefully extract you without alerting anyone to his presence. Genji would remain outside. Monitoring movements with a few generously donated infrared and heat sensors and to make sure that if anything untoward gets outside, it would wish it hadn’t.

 

As Jesse, moved through the lower floors of the long-forgotten pyramid, he almost felt a sense of relief at how well this plan was going.

 

“Make a left up ahead,” Genji crackled in his ear. He had picked up a heat signature but the layers of concrete in the lower levels made it impossible to distinguish who it could possibly be. However, Jesse moved to it with the full intention of it being you.

 

“It’s at the end of the hall, last door.” Jesse moved as quiet as possible down the hall and tried to listen through the metal door. He could tell there was someone in there but he really would have  to open the door to figure out exactly who. He opened the door on a small storage room. Nothing out of the ordinary save a toppled chair and a few scuffs and puddles he couldn’t quite make out from the threshold. He moved into the room to investigate further only to have the door shut behind him and hard cool metal press against his head.

 

As the gun pressed against Jesse’s temple he knew he had to make a quick decision, at least quicker than the man behind the trigger. Jesse dropped to the floor, narrowly missing the gunshot firing at his last known position. He rolled to the center of the room and unloaded peacemaker at the door hoping to catch his would-be assailant. Missing Jesse, dove behind a box reloading as fast as he could. It was a small room, too tight for a full on firefight and too crowded to attempt a one-on-one brawl.

 

“Come on out cowboy. You can’t face both of us at once.”

 

Make that one-on-two. He was too close to deadeye but he also knew that his gun was the only thing keeping them at bay. With his back against the wall, both literally and figuratively, Jesse hoped that his recent training with Reyes would pay off in this moment. Making the most of this single chance, Jesse shot out the only light in the small room leaving everything pitch black. Jesse then fired his remaining shots at the door again, smiling slightly at the yell of pain. He knew it would be their first instinct to go for a source of light, but in the darkness they had no way of knowing whether his gun was trained on that door or not.

 

Jesse closed his eyes waited. In that moment, he had wished he meditated with Genji more. He tried to clear his mind, listen to his surroundings. He had only one shot to make a move against the two men he shared the small storeroom with. If he went after the one he shot, it would leave him too open to attack to the other who was uninjured. If he waited too long they would either figure out his position or try for the door again and find him that way.

 

Focusing on the sounds of the room, Jesse could figure out where both men were positioned, but how would he choose? His answer came when the sudden sound of a body slumping to the floor alerted where the injured scavenger lay. Jesse leapt from his position and slammed his body at the other man. His shoulder connected with a large, warm mass and quickly drove him into the nearby wall. Jesse didn’t need his burgeoning night vision to know that he was fighting the one known as Thompson. A large man, that almost rivaled Reinhardt in size. Jesse would be lying if he didn’t hate his odds, but now was not the time. Throwing in some quick jabs to his kidneys, Jesse managed to topple the man over and grab around his neck. He should have known the weapons expert would be terrible at hand to hand combat. He himself was the same before meeting Reyes.

 

Jesse brought his arms into a choke hold and locked onto the man’s back. He could feel Thompson writhe under him at the realization. He tried to loosen Jesse’s grip by pushing him back into the wall and against various shelves but Jesse would not let go, even when he stood at full height and his feet dangled in the air. Amidst the pain all over the back of his body, Reyes’ words played in his head on a loop, ‘ _Fight through the pain, focus on the task at hand_ ’ _‘Lock your hands, tighter’_ _‘If you loosen up, you have to start all over’_. With one final tight squeeze, Thompson dropped to his knees and slumped forward, nearly bringing Jesse with him to the floor.

 

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Jesse went for the door and opened it, flooding the small room with light. Jesse saw a large puddle of blood and followed the trail its owner left but no one tied to it. Almost as if he had asked for it, a smaller mass jumped onto Jesse’s back and something sharp drove into his left arm and dragged down leaving a large gash. Letting out a pained yell, Jesse flipped the man over him, throwing him down on his back.  He then gave a swift kick to his jaw, making sure he would stay down this time.

 

With adrenaline flowing through him, Jesse pulled out what happened to be a shard of glass from the broken light from his arm. The bastard before him may have been delirious to try and go against him, but he certainly knew what he was doing, purposely impairing Jesse’s shooting arm. Ripping off the rest of his ruined sleeve, Jesse made a quick bandage and tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

 

Jesse opted to lock the two men inside, hoping Genji would be up for a quick pick up. A muffled chuckle stopped Jesse in his tracks.

 

“I can see why (Y/N) likes you. You’ve got the right stuff cowboy” Jesse turned to the one who had attacked him, Casper he assumed, as he spat blood on the floor. He was amazed he still had the energy to mock him. “Even though she saw you topple over that cliff. Even though she thought you were dead. You should have heard her, crying for you, screaming for you.”

 

“You best keep her name out of your mouth.” Jesse wanted to punch that toothy grin off his face yet again, hopefully shutting him up this time around. 

 

“I always liked (Y/N) because she wore her heart on her sleeve, every emotion she felt was just perfectly painted on her face. Joy, love, exasperation, sorrow, anger, pain. The pain was always the best. Emotional pain, physical pain so many expressions for one feeling. It was like Baskin Robbins’ 31 flavors and boy was it delicious. You should have seen her face when we were about halfway through. I had never seen her more broken than she was at that moment and we hadn’t even gotten to-,”

 

The gunshot rang in Jesse’s ears as he stared at the now lifeless body in front of him. He could have sworn the man had attempted a smile before Jesse had fired but at least he had finally closed his mouth.


	10. My Huckleberry Friend

A loud gunshot stirred you awake from your pain induced haze. You know the room you are in is different than the one before but you’re not entirely sure how you got here. Your mind started to swim trying to take stock of the situation. You knew from the state you were in you hadn’t escaped Jackson and the Scavengers, but that was about it. You weren’t sure how long you were out or how far you had moved. You didn’t even know if you’re in the same building. To be quite honest, you’re not even sure if you really heard a gunshot or not. Your mind had been especially cruel to you over the last few hours. You would think that as a final defense mechanism against your torture it would provide you shelter, or a safe haven. It would whisk you away to some deserted island where you didn’t have to confront what was happening to your near lifeless body. Instead, it just kept replaying the events of the last few days over and over in your mind, and it wasn’t even the good parts. However, you were soon realizing that maybe you preferred the constant stream of your guilty conscious to that of painful alertness. You couldn’t help but take stock of your newly acquired injuries. A sharp pain in your side from an aggravated, and now probably broken, rib. You assumed you had a mild concussion and a litany of cuts along your upper arms and thighs. The longer you stayed awake, the more the searing pain intensified.

 

You were desperately trying to go back to your previous state of unconsciousness but muffled yelling caught your attention. It sounded angrier than anything you had ever heard, but you couldn’t help but notice a tinge of panic. Despite the very futile nature of your situation, you couldn’t suppress a small smile that rose to your face. There was no way to know if the thing that had riled up your captors meant your freedom but with the impending end of your life on the horizon, you took pleasure in the simple joys these moments provided you. Kidnapping and torture could make someone undeniably petty.

 

Jackson burst through the door and your small victory fell from your face. Instantly your walls came back up, crumbled and cracked though they were.

 

“You really are a piece of work you know that?” Jackson said obviously still on edge. His words confused you though. You weren’t exactly sure what sort of mischief you had gotten up to tied to a chair.

 

“Of all the people in that town, you chose to whore around with the only one who is trying damn hard to be un-killable.” You tried to search for meaning in his words, but when realization dawned on you, it crashed hard. There was no way. No possible, conceivable way.

 

“Jesse?” the name fell shakily out of your lips. Just uttering it involuntarily filled you with a hope that spread throughout your broken body and brought tears to the corner of your eyes.

 

“Don’t get too cocky, sweetheart.” Jackson said coming behind you, cutting you loose from the chair. “Trying is the operative word in this situation. I know Jesse McCree and he damn well ain’t immortal.” He yanked you out of the chair, keeping a tight hold on your arm. His wicked smile lighted upon his face. “It’s about time you learned that too.”

 

 

Jesse creeped through the halls. Empty though it felt, Jesse knew that beyond one of these doors was Jackson Hyde. Beyond one of these doors was you.

 

“Gen, you’re going to have to help me out again with this. First room wasn’t a total bust, but she wasn’t there. Where were them other heat signatures at again?”

“They’ve shifted sli-“ Static filled Jesse’s ear as Genji cut out suddenly. His comm only allowing him to pick out a word every now and then “up a few flights, maybe –bzz and- bzz room looks to be filled with cont—“

 

“Genji?” Jesse tried to radioed back. “I’m losin’ ya here, I can’t-“ Jesse was cut off as a high pitched whine filled his ear with pain. Even as he pulled the device out of his ear, the sound filled the hall and echoed throughout the base.

 

“Attention: you stubborn cowboy fuck. I’m getting really tired of you fucking me over. I mean I got to hand it to you, McCree. Everyone thought you were ‘the great un-killable Jesse McCree’ back in deadlock, and I don’t want to get too sidetracked here, but to come back from an impromptu cliff dive is quite a feat.” Jesse tried to tune out Jackson as he went on yet another tirade. Even as a two-bit runt in Deadlock the son of a bitch never knew when to shut up. However, as he could hear more of the accent they shared come out in his speech, Jesse knew he was more shaken than he was trying to let on. Jesse continued to open doors, hoping he could find him and cut him off before he finished.

 

“Let’s get somethings clear. First things first, this is not a two-way phone so you scream whatever witty obscenities you want but I ain’t going to hear them. You on the other hand, are going to have to deal with the musical stylings of my wonderful lilting voice. Second things second, there’s someone here who wants to say hi to you. C’mon darling, why don’t you give your boyfriend the luxury of hearing that pretty voice of yours?” Jesse stopped at the silence that filled the hallways. He could just barely make out the sound of shaky breathing. The sound of flesh hitting flesh and a small yelp clenched his heart and filled him with anger to the tips of his toes.

 

“Looks like our songbird ain’t in the mood to sing for us, McCree. But you and I both know that Deadlock gave us a wide range of tools to make that happen. Now Avita, why don’t you explain to Jesse what I’m doing hm?”

 

“H-He’s got a six shooter in his hands,” your voice crackled over the intercom. The quality might have been terrible but he could hear a deep strain on your voice, he could only assume from whatever they had done to you. “He’s opening the chamber, it’s empty save for o-one bullet.” Your voice wavered. It became increasingly obvious to Jesse what Hyde had planned as he heard the telltale spin of the chamber.

 

“I think you remember this game Jesse. Starts with an R, sounds like Fussian Foulette. I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you one song to find us. Let’s hope everyone’s luck is as good as our little lady here.” Jesse felt his heart stop at the click of the hammer and empty shot that followed. “Start singing, sweetheart.”

 

Jesse threw his comm back in his ear hastily hoping for a miracle. “Genji, tell me you worked around whatever this asshole’s got scramblin’ the airwaves.” Jesse frantically kicked down doors, desperately trying to remember the last few words Genji had tried to get through. You gave a shaky rendition of Moon River, no doubt forced to by Hyde. Every verse was cut by the sound of an empty gunshot. Each click amping up Jesse’s panic that much more.

 

Static filled his ear as a miracle named Genji Shimada gave him the info he was looking for. “5th floor, third door to the left of the stairs. She’s seated in front of him, facing the door.”

 

“Genji, you goddamn beautiful bastard,” Jesse said as he darted to the stairwell, “I’m itchin’ to go in guns blazin’ and Reyes would have my hide if I didn’t at least ask for back up, so get in here and help me sort out this son of a bitch.”

 

“Gladly.” Was all Genji said before the line went dead. 2 flights was all that stood between Jesse and you. If he was going any faster he would have cleared for take-off. Another empty shot had clicked over your singing. He had lost count as to whether it was 3 or 4 but he knew that the odds were getting worse and he knew you were close to the end of your song.

 

He swore he was going to hear that song again and it was going to come out your wonderful perfect mouth, beautiful and mesmerizing not laced with the fear that currently pervaded your voice. 

 

It took him no time at all to locate the door and with the stealth of a jet engine hitting Mach 5, Jesse kicked down the door and aimed for Jacksons hand, disarming him with a single shot. The gun that was aimed at your head flew a short distance but hit the ground with a loud bang as the long awaited bullet was finally fired.

 

This momentary distraction caused, Jesse's victory to be short lived as Jackson pulled out another six shooter from his back unloading the chamber wildly. Jesse dodged as best he could given short notice, but was clipped in the thigh and crashed to the ground, struggling to keep upright on his good leg. He knew it would be harder to get a shot off in this position without hitting you, especially with his injured arm. As this thought struck though his mind he took an actual honest to God look at you and faltered. The physical abuse alone made his blood boil. Bruises and cuts littered your face and arms. Deep gashes rested in the large muscle groups where clusters of nerves endings were sure to reside. But the fear that etched into your once bright face made him want to cry. He could see bravery you tried to display, and just how thoroughly the bastards had chipped away it, leaving what looked to be a disheartened numbness. He chided himself for not being there sooner.

 

He raised his gun at Jackson’s head, but the Scavenger quickly ducked next to you, purposely resting his head on your shoulder. On any given Sunday, Jesse could have made that shot from well over 300 yards, but 5 feet in front of you with blood oozing out of his leg and his hand growing shakier by the minute with blood loss, he didn’t dare take the risk. The one thing he was best at, the one thing that could save your life and end all of this and he couldn’t even pull it off when he needed it the most.  

 

He should have expected Jackson to have more than a single gun with one bullet and should have had a better plan than surging in headfirst. If Jackson hadn’t emptied the gun so wildly before he probably would have been dead already. He had until Jackson reloaded to make a move. He needed to slip Jackson up and pull off an easy shot or stall for Genji’s arrival but whatever needed to happen, needed to happen now. 

 

"You know I never did trust a man that carried more than one gun,” Jesse said hoping to draw Hyde in, “Colt made it a six-shooter for reason.”

 

“Spare me the old-timey diatribe McCree. I don’t need the last thing stuck in my head before I put a bullet in yours to be some knock off Clint Eastwood quote.”

 

“You always were one to talk an ear off, Jackson. What happened, cowboy got your tongue?”

 

“No but I know what you’re trying to do. You’re hoping I get into some long-winded monologue about how this is the end of the line for you and maybe I’ll get in clear range for you to shoot me, or maybe whatever backup you had on the other end of the communicator in your ear will show up but you forgot one thing, McCree. You may be able to outgun me, and in a fair fight maybe even flatten me out, but you will never be able to outtalk me and you sure as hell can’t outsmart me. So, I’m going to make short, sweet and to the point. I’m going to reload this gun, shoot you between the eyes and take dear old (Y/N) here on a long and fun-filled honeymoon of singin’, theivin’ and murderin’ Until I get bored and drop her body in ditch like yours.”

 

Jesse went to open his mouth, but Jackson spun his gun around and cracked it across your face. Pain exploded under your cheek and blood shot out of your mouth as your head violently jerked to the side.

 

“Ah, ah, ah,” Jackson said mockingly, “I may not be able to kill you yet McCree, but if you don’t shut up I will crack her pretty little face again.” It took a lot for McCree not to scream a flurry of curses and Jackson knew it, giving him a shit-eating grin before settling back on reloading the gun. Jesse knew he was running out of options and time in short order, but he was at a loss for what to do next. He looked to you, knowing that if these are going to be his final moments he at least owed you something to hold onto.

 

You push the pain from your mind as best you can when Jesse looks at you head on. Those deep brown eyes look so helpless but you can tell he’s trying to give you a brave front. You can tell he wants to tell you so much but he doesn’t want more hurt to come to you. Even in what might be his last moments the cowboy you met on the streets of Dorado is still fighting for you. Your breathing mellows out as a familiar but intense calm rushes over you. Jackson may have taken a lot from you and you he might take more before this was through but he wasn’t taking Jesse. You weren’t done.

 

“J-Jackson,” you struggled to get out, your voice still weak, but loud enough to catch his attention. A rough hand wrapped around your neck and tilted you head back to look up at the equally rough man.

 

“You got something to say sweetheart? Wanna sing a song for little old me? Don’t tell me you’re going to try and plead for the cowboy” A few coughs sputtered out before you could respond, wracking your frame. “We really did a number on our little Avita here. Don’t worry about it none, just some ill-placed bruises. They always heal.” Without looking at him you could feel Jesse tense up. You needed to get back in control of the situation.

 

“Do you remember the first time I met you? Route 66 in the winter?” Jackson eased the hold on your neck and gave a pause of acknowledgement. “The Southwest can be a real bitch in the winter, especially when you’re on the streets, but I remember you coming up to me like a ray of warm sunlight.”

 

Jackson grinned down at you and stole a quick but unwelcome peck, before letting go of your neck causing you to lurch forward slightly. “Flattery will get you everywhere, sweetheart but now’s not the time. Little busy.” You could hear the sound of a bullet hitting the chamber, you needed his attention again. And fast.

 

“You know my momma had a saying for men like you, Jackson Hyde.”

 

“Yeah, what was it?” He said distracted, clicking the barrel in place and giving it a spin.

 

“As welcome as an outhouse breeze,” Jesse snorted and you could feel Jackson stop and tense behind you.

 

“You want to repeat that, (Y/N)?” Jackson said shock and anger evident.

 

“I’m sorry, I tried to make it as backwater hick as possible so you could understand but I suppose there is no known language to communicate with your stupidity.” At Jackson grabbed your hair and yanked your head back. You met his eyes, fuming and wild, with as much indifference as you could muster. Your plan was working slowly. Just a bit longer.

 

“I don’t know what’s gotten into yo-,”

 

“I’m not scared of you anymore.”

 

“Excus-“

 

“You heard me you cowardly son of a bitch. You may have thrown me around a lot since you picked me up, but it was all a front, always has been. Thompson and Casper fought your battles and guess what? They’re not here now. You’re weak Jackson Hyde and you don’t scare me.”

 

“Is that a challenge, sweetheart, because just you wait-

 

“Ooh wait for what. You got on Jesse for stalling for time but that’s all you’ve been doing. Don’t think I can’t hear how your hand shakes as you handle the bullets in the gun. You’re afraid. You can’t shoot that gun. You won’t use that gun. You never could.”

 

“You want me to use the gun?! Fine!”

 

Just as you knew he would, Jackson raised the gun from his side, giving you an opening. You pushed your feet off the ground as hard as you could and launched backwards into Jackson, dropping both of you on your backs as the chair broke under you from the force. A shot rang out hitting the ceiling as debris fell on the both of you distracting you momentarily. With no time to get out of the way like you anticipated, the weight of Jesse’s body crashed over you, forcing air out of your lungs. You were locked in between the men like a crocodile death roll, but with no way of knowing what was going on and who had the gun.

 

 A loud gunshot stilled you and the men on either side of you. Your heart beat so loud in your chest, you had no way of knowing who was alive and who was dead.

 

“J-Jesse” You muttered out hesitantly, hoping he was the former.

 

“It’s ok (Y/N). I’m right here.” You would have exhaled a large breath, if there was any left in your body.

 

Seeming to read you mind, Jesse rolled off you and pulled you up from the ground. “Sorry bout jumping on you, darlin’, couldn’t spare the time for you to get out of the way.”

 

“It’s ok, really. I didn’t expect the ceiling to come down.” You mused slightly trying to find some sort of levity after the frantic last few seconds. You looked at his face. Covered in dust and blood that thankfully wasn’t his. You wanted to look back at Jackson, see what was left of the monster that had held you captive, but as you gazed into the eyes of the man in front of you, you suddenly had lost all interest in reopening the past. In his eyes, all you could see was your future. You wiped some of it away unknowingly and Jesse leaned into your touch. A shiver ran through your body and you could feel your legs get weaker by the second. Whatever adrenaline that was coursing through your body must have known you were safe and was quickly flooding out. Two large arms wrapped around your torso, giving you support and you relaxed into the cowboy.

 

“Let’s get out of here, (Y/N)”


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this story I wrote and for keeping up with it until the end. I appreciate all the kudos, comments and feedback! This is the final chapter of this story but I have other stories written (that I forced myself not to publish until this was finished) and may even have an alternate ending to this one as well.
> 
> Again thank you so much!

You sat on a chair on the balcony of your apartment, looking down at the city below. A glass of wine sits next to barely touched. It’s been one year since you left Mexico. Left your old life behind for that matter.

 

The lights below reminded you of the Festival de la Luz, which was no doubt in full swing by now. You wondered how Dorado was. You wondered how it had recovered. You only heard about the aftermath of The Scavenger’s spree through the news and papers that made its way into the Overwatch infirmary while you recovered. Analysts kept calling it the most poorly timed terrorist attack in recent history, causing more property damage rather than loss of human life. “As effective as a child screaming fire in an empty theater” made you laugh back then and stuck in your mind now.

 

 A few local testimonials from the ground referenced a “Saint Evita”, who saved many passersby by altering their course for the day. Many reporters took this as an invisible force of fate and made sure to attribute it that way, but the spelling mistake itself kept anyone else from looking into your whereabouts. You were sure Jackson’s death was the end of that chapter in your life, but could never be as sure as you would like.

But the chapter that followed was too good to spend worrying about lingering consequences. A certain cowboy was very stubborn in making sure to drag you around with him as he fought with Overwatch, bearded and imposing Commanders be damned.

 

It was an interesting adjustment to say the least, but in a good way.

 

Jesse was on a mission currently, but the last year was perfect in every way you could think. You had a roof over your head, new friends and a burgeoning futures. Not to mention a love that filled you with warmth and happiness. Whatever instincts had told you to kiss Jesse in Dorado the first time you met him were obviously looking out for your best interests. From the little things, like good morning kisses and surprise post-it notes with love letters written on them, to the grander more romantic gestures, everything you two did put you into a comfortable and love-struck daze.

 

 You weren’t sure why you felt an urge to reminisce on these past events with the new direction your life had taken you but the wave of nostalgia couldn’t be denied. You hoped the wine and fresh air would have settled your thoughts but they magnified them instead.

 

Without even realizing it, a familiar tune had bubbled its way into your throat as these thoughts raced through your head. Starting as a gentle hum and growing into a melodic oo, it wasn’t long until you were singing Moon River to the city below. You were nearing the last verse when the strumming of a guitar had struck up behind you, a gentle and decidedly Southern voice taking over.

 

_We're after the same rainbow's end_

_Waiting round the bend_

_My huckleberry friend_

_Moon river and me_

 

“How’d you get so good at guitar, cowboy?” You ask, smiling to yourself. You still haven’t turned around yet, hoping Jesse will come closer and wrap his arms around you if you played coy.

 

“Well darlin’, I had an excellent teacher. Where’d you get such a lovely voice?”

 

“I found it down in Mexico.” Jesse let out a small chuckle at that.

 

“Speaking of Mexico, I got you a little something.” You were slightly confused. Jesse didn’t often have time to bring you souvenirs from his missions and this last one was somewhere in California, at least that’s what you thought he had said a week ago when he left.

 

You turned around to face him, immediately stopping as your eyes landed on him. Strung across his body was the instrument you just heard, but it’s one you never thought you’d see again. Your father’s guitar, put back together, looking just as it did a year ago. You hadn’t even realized you had started walking over to them both until your hand slide across the front. You inspected it carefully like an old friend, finding familiar notches and bumps. You trembled a little as your hand found the secret message your father had carved near the opening of the f-hole. Jesse placed his hand over yours and you looked up at him, eyes slightly damp.

 

“How, I mean, I thought jus-, how?”

 

“Genji picked it up that day you smashed it on that bastard’s head. He returned it to me while you in the med bay when we got back. I probably had to make 3 more trips to Dorado just make sure I got all the parts. Every time I’d go back, that little girl, Mireya, always seemed to be holding onto what I was looking for.” You giggled slightly, remembering the child and her penchant for those kinds of shenanigans. “Then I tracked down the shop that made the guitar and then the exact guy who made the guitar. Took him a few months but he put it back together. Honestly, the hardest part was learning the gosh darn song. I don’t know how you do it, sweetpea, but it sure as hell ain’t easy, I mean you got-“

 

You quickly leaned up and captured Jesse’s lips into a kiss, which he quickly returned with a smile.

 

“I love you Jesse McCree. It’s perfect, playing and all. You’ve given me so much. A home, love, a new life and this. God, how could I repay you for everything you’ve done?”

 

“Maybe by saying yes?” Before you could ask what he meant, Jesse dropped to one knee and spun the guitar over. Taped to the back on a sheet of paper was Jesse’s signature handwriting saying, “Will you marry me?”. A small ring was produced from Jesse’s pockets and while a sure smile spread across his face you see could hesitancy mixed with the love in his eyes.

 

You wanted to be more articulate as the man you loved bared his heart in front of you but you were lost to tears and giggles as a large smile bloomed across your face.

 

“Yes! Yes, Jesse McCree, I will marry you.” You removed the guitar from the cowboy and he slipped the ring on your finger. Picking you up and covering your face in kisses. In the back of your mind all you could think about was how excited you were to begin this next chapter and how lucky you were to have Jesse McCree by your side.


End file.
